As a child, Victoria grew up hating gym class and refused to join any team sports because of her poor performance. If only someone had realized that her difficulties were because she was going blind. When she was 18, Victoria was diagnosed with a disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa, and was left with only 10% of her vision. The disease accelerated with the birth of her two children when Victoria was 28, leaving her with only 3% of her sight. She became depressed as she was unable to take her children out of the house on her own. It reached the point where she would not leave her house at all. Eventually, Victoria was drawn out of depression through getting involved with the Argonaut Rowing Club in Toronto, where the environment was supportive of people with a disability. To her amazement, she realized that she had some natural ability in a team sport, making the National Team after just one year of rowing and going on to winn a bronze medal at that year's World Championships. This past summer Victoria represented Canada with distinction at the Paralympic Games in Beijing, finishing sixth. Not bad for someone who almost failed gym class! In addition to Victoria's discovery of rowing, she attributes her success to the supportive, unique relationship she has with her guide dog, Angus.
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